Bond imposed over menacing letter to court

A man who sent a menacing letter to the Coroners Court in Western Australia has been convicted under Commonwealth law and a good behaviour bond imposed.

Robert Martin Dykstra, 53, pleaded guilty to using a postal service in a menacing, harassing or offensive way.

The Adelaide District Court heard Dykstra sent an eight-page letter to the WA Coroners Court in January 2010, outlining threats to kill and naming several judges and police officers.

The South Australian court was told the WA Chief Justice was also mentioned in the letter.

The court heard Dykstra, who used to live in Western Australia, believed he had been wrongly detained there and treated heavy-handedly by authorities.

Judge Anne Bampton said it was clear Dykstra was agitated and angry at the time he wrote the letter, but he later cooperated with police.

"[It was submitted by your counsel that] in the early 90s while living in Western Australia you experienced difficulties with the police system and the judicial system and health system and were wrongly arrested and detained," she said.

"You felt let down by the system. You consider you were dealt with in an incredibly heavy-handed way by Western Australian authorities."

'Wronged'

She accepted the man had no intention of carrying through with his threats.

"For 20 years you have been thinking about the wrongs that were visited upon you in the early 90s. As a result of thinking about these wrongs you considered the only way to vent your frustrations was to vent them before the court," the judge said.

"The letter was menacing and threatening and staff at the Coroners Court who opened the letter took it very seriously and sent it to the police straight away.

"I accept you had no intention to carry out the threats."

Judge Bampton imposed a bond.

"The penalty must reflect the need to protect people from threats placed through the post or in general and people working in government agencies must be able to work without fear of reprisal," she said.

Dykstra was convicted of the federal offence and put on a 12-month good behaviour bond.

The court heard his solicitors were helping him explore possible legal avenues for action against authorities over what happened to him.